Acronyms of IB

For those of you who have the IB program in your school, you’ll probably notice a huge clump of all the IB students together, talking about their work, about procrastinating, and about all these freaking acronyms. Every time you hear those acronyms, which will eventually be mentioned a lot, you just couldn’t help thinking “Man, you IB students sure love yourself some acronyms.” Oh, how true and brilliant you are! I am now providing a list of the most commonly heard acronyms and defining them, so they will no longer feel like some unknown alien world.

IB (International Baccalaureate) – the official Google definition is formerly the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is an international educational foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and founded in 1968. The terms that IB students will use is “the trap that you never get out. Don’t get involved with. I MEAN IT! DON’T GET INVOLVED! It’s an invisible spider web. One day, this organization will become the death of us. Too much homework, too much tests, too much extracurricular activities!”

SL (Standard Level) – these are the exams that IB students take of their subjects at a normal level. They learn and receive an almost college education in these certain subjects they choose, but not quite fully. The official exams are also shorter and easier than HL (coming up). These are also the tests IB students do not spend their time completely grueling over with their life to study. These are the ones that IB students say, “FIVE! FUDGE THE WORLD!”

HL (High Level) – these are the exams that IB students take of their subjects at a –what do you know- higher level. Students learn and receive a full college education in the three subjects they choose to test in for HL. The official exams are longer and much harder. These are the exams IB students will hang themselves, jump out of windows, and light themselves on fire for. This is their LIFE and their one way ticket to the IB diploma.

HOA (History of Americas) – This is one of the subjects most IB programs require all students to HL in. (Getting the acronyms now, huh?). It is a college course of the history of Americas…such a big lie. This isn’t the history of Americas. This is the history of EVERYTHING! Particularly war, dictators, and Arab is conflict. And the IB board simply went “What should we name this class? HOE? DEFINITELY not a good spelling. Let’s just name it HOA.”

EE (Extended Essay) – a mandatory core component of the IB Diploma Programme. It is a research paper of up to 4,000 words giving students an opportunity to conduct independent research or investigation on a topic that interests them. In other words, this is the essay that IB students tend to procrastinate on…only to realize a certain part is due to their advisor of their topic the next day. So they put together a bunch of websites and seriously BS it until the real final one is scheduled to turn in.

TOK (Theory of Knowledge) – a class that centers on a jar and metacognition. That’s the best I can explain this class. Sorry. IA (Internal Assessment) – An investigation with practically each subject consisting of a written account of between 1,500 and 2,000 words, divided into six sections: a plan of the investigation, a summary of evidence, an evaluation of sources, an analysis, a conclusion, and a list of sources (works cited). This is the work where IB students CAN’T procrastinate on…though they still do. As a result, they end up skipping half of the school day or the whole day to work on it and turn it in the very next day.

CAS (Creativity, Action, and Service) – 150 hours are required to graduate from the IB Program and to officially earn the diploma through the exploration of these groups. It encompasses the “international” part though students like to say it encompasses the “everything” part. 50 hours are required to be spent in Creativity, Action, and Service. Doing the hours themselves, the students don’t procrastinate on and will often be heard discussing ways to earn more hours in their weaker spot (Creativity and Action tends to be the case). Writing the reflections and other paperwork AFTER the hours are done? Procrastination time!

Now, the next time you hear IB students talking about all these acronyms, you’ll know exactly what they’re talking about!